By Claire Defrancisci

Practicing year-round, enduring a four-month long season, attending early morning meets, and overcoming injuries are all things sophomore Cory Troutman does to maintain his wrestling skills.

“Cory is a hard worker when it comes to wrestling and has been dedicated to the sport for a number of years now, he puts in a lot of time during off-season, and he wrestled a ton this past summer and has improved,” said wrestling coach Brandon Sisson.

Troutman first started wrestling in the fourth grade, ever since then he has worked hard to get to where he is today.

“I started because my dad kind of pushed me to do it, then I got into it and started having some success,” said Troutman.

He has been working hard and achieving many accomplishments since then. He has been on the national team for the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and has done out-of-school wrestling. He has also had some injuries that have acted as minor setbacks. He said when he is injured he does not take a lot of time off so he can stay in shape, although athletes must also keep attitude in mind as well.

Sisson said that the mental aspect of wrestling is as important as the physical.

“Cory, as well as a number of the wrestlers, needs to work on the mental aspect of the sport. So often people concentrate so much on the physical aspects of sports but if your mind is getting in the way it doesn’t matter what you have been taught,” said Sisson.

One of Troutman’s main goals is to become a state qualifier before the end of high school. Hopefully the time and hard work he has put into this sport has paid off.

“I want to become a state qualifier, I’ll do anything and everything that I can. I will work harder and it will really pay off in the practice rooms.”